Bottle-crating mechanism.



L. A. HAWTHORNE.

BOTTLE CRATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I], 19]]- 1,243,497. Patented Oct. 16,1917.

3 SHEET$-$HEET I.

3 W 43 F/ G. l 45 64 6564 WITNES INVENTOR 400/5 #wWwam/E.

L. A. HAWTHORNE.

BOTTLE CRATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. I917.

1,248,407. Patented 001;. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

4 l /G, Z J) l'l'l'l' 401/0 ./7. flan 79w 1742- L. A. HAWTHORNE.

BOTTLE CRATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION r1150 APR. 11. 1917.

1,243,407. Patented {10116,11117.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- WITNESS b Q INVENTOR 400/5 .4 :49 HWY/GENE STATESPATENT orator.

1101715 A. HAWTHORNE, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO STEEL UTILITIESINCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BOTTLE-SEATING mncrmmsm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LOUIS A. HAWTHORNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-CratingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel improvement in apparatus forautomatically assem bling and depositing a plurality of containers suchas bottles or the like, into crates or boxes for shipment.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus which maybe readily utilized in connection with machinery for filling and cappingor labeling bottles, so that the filled bottles may be expeditiously feddirectly from the delivery point of such machinery into the presentapparatus, thereby eliminating any unnecessary handling and consequentlyreducing the liability of breakage to a minimum. That is to say, it isproposed to provide a device which receives the bottles from themachinery referred to, and which assembles them in the desired order andrelation, then lifts a. predetermined number of bottles from the deviceon which they are assembled and deposits the same into a waitingshipping crate, and then disengages the bottles to return to its normalposition to make ready for the assembling of the next succeeding groupof bottles. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a substantial and reliableapparatus which is positive and accurate in its operation, and whoseseveral parts are so arranged and timed as to accurately provide for theseries of movements necessary to automatically handle the bottles in anefficient manner.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the hue 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

As previously indicated, it is proposed to provide a machine which maybe readily utilized in connection with the bottle filling and cappingapparatus, usually employed in bottling operations, whereby the filledand capped bottles delivered therefrom may be handled with facility andwithout breakage, for the purpose of assembling them in suitableshipping boXes or crates. Accordingly, to this end, the presentinvention contemplates 21 machine comprising a frame, desig natedgenerally as F, and including a bed portion 1, suitable paired supportsor standards 2-2 and 33, and the upper substantially T-shaped frameportions or supports designated generally as 4. Corresponding members ofthe supporting standards 22 and 3-3, are provided with the offset shaftbearing brackets 5, in which is journaled a drive shaft 6, disposedtransversely of the frame-work F, and carrying at one end thereof asprocket wheel 7 for engaging with the chain portion of an endless feedconveyer 8, while the opposite end of the shaft is provided with abeveled driving gear 6, for operating the moving platform on which thebottles are assembled, at predetermined intervals, as will hereinaftermore fully appear. The feed conve ver 8 which is driven through theshaft 6 and sprocket 7, conveys bottles from the capping or labelingmachine into the guideway 9 on the bed of the frame 1, and into positionto be fed to the endless moving assembling platform, designatedgenerally as 10.

This assembling platform 10 is arranged at rigl1t-angles to the feedconveyer 8 and moves transversely across the entire width of themachine, as will be observed from Figs. 1 and 2. As will also beobserved from these latter figures, the assembling platform 10 isinterposed between the feed conveyer 8, and a suitable crate support,designated generally as 11, and having a plurality of suitable rollers12 for slidably receiving the shipping crates or boxes, desiguatedgenerally as C.

' Referring now more particularly to the assembling platform 10, it willbe observed, more especially from Fig. 2, that the same essentiallycomprises a plurality of angular bottle supporting sections S, whichinclude a bottom wall or floor 13, and an upstanding partition wall 14.These sections are pivotally connected as indicated at 15 to provide forthe movement of the platform around the paired sets of driving sprockets16 and 17, which have their platform engaging peripheries so formed thatthe knuckles or joints15 between the bottle supporting sections fittherein to provide the necessary traction engagement between thesprockets and platform. As will be observed from Fig. l, the sprockets16 are the driving sprockets, while the sprockets 17 are merely idlers,being mounted upon the-shaft 18 journaled in the supporting standards 22of the frame. The driving sprockets 17 are mounted on the counter shaft19 journaled in the supporting standards 3-3, and this shaft 19 isprovided with a friction clutch device, designated generally as D, forpermitting the assembling platform to be intermittently driven by themain drive shaft (3. This friction clutch device D consists of a beveledgear 20 loosely mounted on the shaft 19, and clamped between theabutment collar 21 which is keyed to the shaft 19, as will be clearlyapparent from Fig. 1, and the spring pressed friction collar 22, alsokeyed to the shaft 19, and forced into engagement with the friction faceof the gear 20 by means of a relatively stout coil spring 23 adjustablymounted on the shaft 19 by means of the nut and washer arrangement 24.Therefore, it will be apparent that the assembling platform 10 isadvanced by the main drive shaft 6 through the friction clutch device D,when the assembling platform is not under restraint.

To provide for detaining or holding the assembling platform 10, asufficient period,

to permit each bottle supporting section thereof to be filled with itsfull quota of bottles a novel restraining device R is provided. As willbe apparent from Fig. 2, the bottle supporting sections S of the assembling platform provide a plurality of bottle receiving guideways, orin other words, the upstanding partition walls 14 thereof cooperate toprovide a plurality of bottle receiving channels which are adapted to beheld in register with the bottle guide 9 between the feed conveyer 8 andthe platform. To provide for holding those several guideways, each inregister with the bottle guide-way 9, for a predetermined period, thebottom wall or floor 13 thereof is provided with a single centrallylocated keeper opening 25, to cooperate with the restraining device ft,above referred to.

This restraining device R is located beneath the bed' 1 of theframe-work, and in alinement with the bottle feeding guide 9. whereby itwill be in position toengage the bottle section S that is intended toreceive bottles from the feed conveyer through the said guideway. Aswill be seen from Fig. 2 this device essentially comprises anelectromagnet E having therein a solenoid 26,

which is provided at one end with a latch.

detent 27 while its opposite end is extended as indicated at 28 toprovide for receiving a presser spring 29, clamped between suitableabutments 30, and which has a tendency to push the solenoid upwardlywhen the magnet is not energized to thereby hold the latch detent 27 inthe keeper opening 25 of the bottle supporting section positionedimmediately above it on the table 1. Since the operation of the deviceis entirely automatic, the movement of the assembling platform 10 iscontrolled entirely by the bottles themselves, Accordingly, when asufficient number of bottles have been fed from the conveyer 8 throughthe guideway 9 onto the bottle supporting member S in registertherewith, the foremost bottle of the group on the support is intendedto actuate the means for releasing the restraining device.

In the present instance, since this restraining device is electricallyoperated, a circuit closer 31 is provided. This circuit closer includessuitable metallic switch arms carried by an upstanding flange 32 of thebed 1, and located directly in the path of the bottles being fed fromthe feeding conveyor 8 onto the bottle supporting section S which is inregister therewith, and ata suiiicient distance above the assemblingplatform to provide the necessary clearance for the upper edges of thepartition walls 14 of the said sections. The switch members of thiscircuit closer 31 are of course, electrically connected with a suitablesource of electricity designated generally as B, and also with theelectro-magnet E, whereby when a sutiicient number of bottles have beenfed onto the bottle support, the foremost bottle of the group, closesthe circuit to energize the electro-magnet E, to thereby withdraw thedetent 27 from the keeper opening 25 to permit the assembling platformto move forward through the connections heretofore described with thedriving shaft 6.

Positioned above the assembling platform 10 is a bottle collectingframe, designated generally as 33 and consisting of a plurality of guidearms a carried by a single supporting bracket arm 34 of the frame F.These arms a of the collecting frame 33 are provided with the deflectingnoses b which are designed to engage and separate the bottles carried bythe bottle support which has just "been filled from the feed conveyer,as the platform advances from the bottle receiving position in thedirection of the bracket which supports the frame, whereby said bottlesare spaced apart, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the bottlecollecting frame 33 coiipcrates with the transverse partition walls 14of the assembling platform to space the bottles in the same manner asthey are to be spaced and arranged in the waiting shipping crate.

After the bottles are collected on the assembling platform 10, by theframe 33, a predetermined number thereof are lifted and deposited intothe waiting shipping crate C, by a lifting and depositing mechanismcarried by the T-shaped supports 4 of the frame, and to provide forbringing this lifting and depositing mechanism into play, the bracketarm 34, which supports the several arms a of the bottle collecting frame33, is provided with suitable bottle actuated means to operate the same.That is to say, when the bottle collecting frame is filled to capacityby a predetermined number of transverse rows of bottles, the first rowof the latter will actuate a device for bringing the lifting anddepositing mechanism into operation to engage the bottles, lift the sameout of the collecting frame 33, deposit them in a waiting shippingcrate, and then disengage the mechanism from the bottles and bring itback to normal position.

In the present instance, it is proposed to make this device or means forbringing the lifting and depositing mechanism into play, electrical, andtherefore, as will be observed from Fig. 2, the member 34 is providedwith a circuit closer 35, which consists of suitable metallic circuitclosing parts electrically connected with a battery or other source ofelectrical energy B and an electro-magnetic clutch controlling device,designated generally as M, and mounted upon the offset bracket arm 36,of one of the standards 4 of the frame. This electro-magnetic clutchcontrolling device M is of substantially the same construction as therestraining device R, and therefore, comprises a solenoid 37 having alatch detent 38 at one end, while the opposite end is extended as at 39to receive a relatively stout coil spring 40, which is suitably mountedthereon, and has a tendencyto keep the latch detent 38 in its liftedposition, that is, into the annular groove 41 of a clutch member 42,which is slidable on a crank shaft 43, and under the tension of the coilspring 44 to push the same in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 2.

This clutch member 42 is provided in the annular groove 41 with ashifter cam 45, the zenith of which normally engages with the latchdetent 38 to hold the clutch member 42 out of engagement with thedriving clutch member 46 loosely mounted on the crank shaft 43. That isto say, when the apparatus is at rest, the clutch members 42 and 46 aredisengaged, because of the engagement of the latch detent 38 with thezenith of the cam 45 in the annular groove of the clutch member 42. Thespring 44 having a tendency to move the clutch member 42 in thedirection of the clutch member 46 is, therefore, only held out ofengagement therewith when the zenith of its cam engages the detent 38.Accordingly, it will be apparent that when the latch detent 38 iswithdrawn by the energization of the electro-magnet acting on thesolenoid 37, the spring 44 will push the clutch members 42 and 46 intoengagement. However, when the electro-magnet is deenergized by thebreaking of the circuit from the circuit closer 35, the detent will snapback into the groove, and the clutch members 42 and 46 will remainengaged for the balance of the cycle of the crank shaft, but just beforethe end of the cycle of rotation of the crank shaft, and of course, theclutch member 42, the latter will be disengaged from the driving clutch46, because the inclined face of the cam 45 riding against the detent38, will wedge the clutch member 42 out of engagement with the member 46and reset the zenith of the cam on the detent.

It will, therefore, be apparent that the crank shaft 43 of the liftingand deposit ing mechanism is controlled by means of the bottle actuatedcircuit closer'35, which closes the circuit to an electro-magneticclutch controlling device M, whereby the crank shaft 43, which is theprime mover of the lifting and depositing mechanism will be connectedwith the main drive shaft 6, as will presently appear. At this point, itmay be noted that the circuit is closed to the electro-magnetic clutchcontrolling device M when the necessary rows of bottles have beencollected in the bottle collecting frame 33. That is to say, theforemost row of bottles will, as previously indicated, press themetallic switch members of the circuit closer 35 together, and close theelectric circuit to the electro-magnetic clutch operating device, toconnect the crank shaft 43 with the prime operating means, namely, thedrive shaft 6.

Referring now to the means for connecting the crank shaft 43 and driveshaft 6, it will be observed that thelatter is provided at one side ofthe beveled gear 6 with a sprocket 47 which engages with a chain 48 thatpasses over a sprocket 49 mounted upon a suitable stub shaft 50 carriedby one of the frame portions 4, and having rigid therewtih a drivingpinion 51, which meshes with a gear 52 carried by the clutch member 46.With this arrange ment, it will be clear that since the drive shaft 6rotates continuously, on account of the bottles being fed continuouslyby the feed conveyer 8, the sprocket wheel 47 will continuously drivethe chain 48, and the latter will, in turn, continuously rotate theclutch member 46 mounted loose on the crank shaft 43, and there willthus be a constantly available source of power for operating the crankshaft 43, but this power is not utilized, except at predeterm1ned1ntervals, namely, when the bottle collecting frame 33 is filled withthe necessary rows of bottles. Then the foremost row thereof closes anelectrical circuit through the circuit closer 35 to the electro-magneticclutch device M, and connects the clutch member 42 with 46.

The crank shaft 43, is arranged transversely of the upper portion of theframe and is mounted in hearings in the rear ends of the oppositeT-shaped standards or supports 4. This shaft is provided with the offsetcrank portion 53, and at each side of this crank portion rigidly carriesthe raising and lowering cams 54 and 55, which are of substantiallycircular form, and respectively provided with the opposite similar camnotches or depressions 5656 and 57-57 The lifting mechanism propercomprising the superstructure of the machine is operated by the cams 54and 55 and essentially comprises a plurality of paired bell cranks orlifting levers 59 and 60, which are respectively pivoted at theirangles, as indicated at 61 and 62 to the forwardly extending portions ofthe T-shaped supports 4. The upper ends of these levers are pivotallyconnected as indicated at 63 and 64 with the operating rods or bars 65,and the latter are also pivotally connected, as indicated at 66, withthe auxiliary supporting arms 67 mounted on the crank shaft 43 and arefurther provided at their rear ends with the angular actuating ends 68,which carry the laterally offset cam abutments or rollers 69 that engagewith the working edges of the cams 54 and 55 and normally rest in thenotches 56 and 57.

The lower ends of the paired sets of hell crank levers 59 and carrytherewith suitable rollers 7 O and 71, respectively, which slidablysupport a bottle engaging frame designated enerally as 72. That is tosay, the rollers 0 and 71 are respectively carried by the lower ends ofthe paired sets of hell cranks 59 and 60 slidably engaged in thereversely disposed channel members 73 and 74 of the bottle engagingframe, whereby the latter may have a sufficient sliding movement toengage the grouped bottles held in the bottle collecting frame 33. Therear ends of the channel frame bars 73 and 74 of the bottle engagingframe are connected by the cross-rod A and the latter is joined by thelinks 75 with the crank portion 53 of the crank shaft-43, whereby therotation of the shaft will impart a reciprocating movement to the entirebottle engaging frame suspended on the rollers 70 and 71 carried by thepaired sets of lifting levers 59 and 60. 1

As will be observed from the several figures of the drawings, the saidchannel members 73 and 74 of the bottle engaging frame carry at theirunder side a plurality of depending bottle engaging members 76, whichare of substantially Z-shaped formation, and suitably spaced to provideample clearance for permitting the bottles carried by the assemblingplatform 10 to pass therebetween when the apparatus is in its normalposition, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. These bottle engagingmembers 76 have their horizontal web portions 77 provided with aplurality of bottle neck receiving and engaging notches 78 for engagingbeneath the enlarged capping head of the bottle neck, upon the forwardmovement of the entire bottle engaging frame 72, which movement iscaused by the rotation of the crank shaft 43, as previously indicated.

The initial movement of the crank shaft 43 slides the frame 72 forwardand pushes the bottle engaging members 76 carried by the frame intoengagement with the necks of certain of the bottles assembled in thebottle collecting frame positioned above the assembling platform. And,owing to the character of the cams 54 and 55, the continued movement ofthe crank shaft 43, will lift the entire bottle carrying frame throughthe medium of the paired lifting levers 59 and 60 and auxiliarysupporting levers 67, whereby all of the bottles picked up by the bottleengaging members of the frame 72 will be lifted out of the frame, and toa suiiicient height to clear the edges of the waiting shipping crate C.When the cams 54 and 55 complete about one-half of their movement, thecam rollers 69, carried by the. operating bars will drop into thenotches 56 and 57 which are opposite the notches in which they normallyrest, to thereby lower the paired levers 59 and 60, and deposit thebottles into the cells of the waiting shipping crate. Then the continuedrotation of the crank shaft 43 will first cause the channel bars 73 and74 of the frame 72 to move backward slightly, whereby the bottleengaging members 76 will disengage the necks of the bottles. The camrollers 69 of the bars 65 are then forced out of the notches 56 and 57in which they temporarily rest to permit the bottles to be lowered intothe crate, and back onto the peripheries of the cams 54 and 55, wherebythe entire bottle engaging frame may be lifted upwardly to permit thebottle engaging members 76 to clear the sides of the box, and then whenthe rollers 69 drop into the cam notches 56 and 57. the paired bellcranks 59 and 60 will lower the frame 72 and place it in its normalposition over the bottle collecting frame 33, to again receive bottlesas before.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that bottles are fedfrom the feed conveyer 8, through the bottle guideway 9 on the bed 1 ofthe machine, onto the floor of the waiting bottle section S of theassembling platform 10. When a suflicient number of bottles, in thepresent case four, have collected on the floor of the section, theforemost bottle closes an electrical circuit through the switch 31 tothe restraining device R, whereby the latch detent 27 thereof disengagesthe keeper opening 25 in the bottom of the bottle section which has justbeen filled to permit the entire endless assembling platform 10 to move,through the gear 6 and the gear of the friction clutch device I). whichconnects the main drive shaft 6 with the counter shaft 19 on which thedriving sprockets 16 for the assembling platform are mounted.

As the bottles are advanced by the assembling conveyer transversely ofthe machine, they are separated and spaced by the deflecting ends 6 ofthe arms a of the bottle collecting frame 33, and when. the bottlecollecting frame contains a suflicient number of rows of bottles, in thepresent case six, the foremost row of bottles will close an electricalcircuit through the switch 35, to thus actuate the electro-magneticclutch device M. and thereby release the clutch member 42 intoengagement with the continuously rotating clutch member 46, whereby thelatter will drive the crank shaft 43 through the clutch member 42. sinceit is keyed to the crank. shaft.

Then the lifting and depositing mechanism will come into play, to firstcause the bottle engaging frame 72 to engage the predetermined number ofbottles, and then the cams 54-55 will operate the paired sets of bellcrank levers 59 and 60 to lift the bottles carried by the bottleengaging frame out of the bottle collecting frame, and raise them asufiicient distance to clear the edge of the Waiting shipping crate.Then owing to the character of the cams 54 and 55, the bell crank levers59 and 60 will be lowered to deposit the bottles in the cells of theshipping crate C, and subsequently the continued movement of the crankshaft 43 causes the bottle engaging members 76 of the frame 72 todisengage the bottles, and return to its normal position. This operationis automatically repeated as long as bottles are fed to the machine bythe feed conveyer 8.

I claim:

1. A crating apparatus including means for assembling a number ofcontainers in a group having a spaced relation corresponding to that ofthe compartments of a cellular crate, and means for bodily transferringsaid group of containers as a unit into the cellular crate. 2. A cratingapparatus including means for assembling a number of containers in agroup having a relation corresponding to that to be occupied by the samein a crate, and a transferring device having holding means for engagingwith all of the containers and adapted to bodily transfer the same asone unit into the crate.

3. A crating apparatus including means for assembling a number ofcontainers into a group having a spaced relation for a cellular crate,and means actuated by the containers for bodily transferring the groupedand spaced containers as a unit into a cellular crate.

4. A crating apparatus including an assembling platform, a bottlecollecting device, a crate support, means for lifting the bottlescollected in said device and depositing them in a crate on said cratesupport.

5. A bottle crating apparatus including an assembling platform, a devicefor collecting bottles in spaced relation, a crate support, and meansfor lifting the collected bottles and depositing them in a crate on saidcrate support.

6. A crating apparatus including an as sembling platform, a bottlecollecting frame, a crate support at one side of the frame, and meansfor lifting the bottles out of said frame and depositing them in a crateon the crate support.

7. A crating apparatus including an as- 100 sembling platform, a bottlecollecting frame, a crate support at one side of the frame, a device atone end of said frame,

adapted to be actuated by bottles collecting therein, and means actuatedby the operation of said device for lifting the bottles out of saidframe and depositing them in a crate on the crate support.

8. A crating-apparatus including an assembling platform, a bottlecollecting frame arranged above the platform, a crate support at oneside of the frame, means for lifting the bottles outof said frame anddepositing the same in a crate on the crate support, and anelectro-magnetic device for rendering said means operative, saidelectromagnetic device including an electric circuit and a circuitcloser, the latter located at one end of the bottle collecting frame.

9. A crating apparatus including an as sembling platform, a bottlecollecting frame, a crate support at one side of the frame, and meansfor engaging the bottles collected on the frame and then lifting anddepositing the same into said crate.

10. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, anintermittentlymoving assembling platform receiving from said conveyer, abottlecollecting frame supported above the assembling platform, a cratesup- 130 port at one side of the platform adjacent the frame, and meansarranged above the frame for engaging the necks of the bottles collectedin the frame and then lifting and depositing them in a crate on thecrate support.

11-. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an assemblingplatform, a bottle collecting frame positioned above the platform, acrate support at one side of the assembling platform, adapted to,receive a crate, means for lifting, moving and depositing the bottlescollected in the frame into a crate on the crate support, and meansoperated by the bottles collected in the frame to cause the actuation ofsaid means.

12. A collecting apparatus including a feed conveyer, an assemblingplatform arranged at right-angles to the feed conveyer andintermittently actuated thereby, a bottle collecting frame positionedabove the platform, a crate support at one side of the assemblingplatform adapted to receive a crate, means for lifting and depositingthe bottles collected inthe frame into a crate on the crate support, andmeans operated by the bottles collected in the frame to cause theactuation of said means.

13. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an assemblingplatform arranged at right-angles to the feed conveyer and having aplurality of transverse partitions, a bottle collecting frame having aplurality of parallel guide arms arranged longitudinally above theplatform and at right-angles to the transverse partitions thereof, acrate supported at one side of the assembling platform, means forlifting the bottles from the frame and depositing the same in a crate onthe crate support, and means operated by the bottles collected in theframe to cause the actuation of said means.

14. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an assemblingplatform receiving from said conveyer, a magnetically actuated latch forthe platform, means whereby the platform is operated by the feedconveyer upon the actuation of the magnetically controlled latch, abottle collecting frame, and means for engaging a predetermined numberof bottles in said frame to lift and deposit the same into a crate.

15. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an intermittentlytraveling platform arranged at right-angles to the feed conveyer andreceiving therefrom, a magnetically actuated latchfor the platform,means whereby the platform may be operated by the feed conveyer uponactuation of the magnetically controlled switch, a bottle collectingframe, and means for engaging a predetermined number of bottles in saidframe for lifting and depositing the same into the crate.

16. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an intermittentlytraveling assembling platform receiving from said conveyer and having aplurality of transversely disposed angular bottle supports, theupstanding walls of which cooperate to provide a bottle guideway toreceive bottles from the feed conveyer, a magnetically controlled latchfor engaging each of the angular bottle supporting members, meanswhereby the platform may be operated upon the release of the said latchfrom engagement with one of the bottle supporting members thereof, abottle collecting frame, and means for engaging bottles in the frame andlifting and depositing the same into a crate.

17. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an intermittentlytraveling assembling platform including a plurality of transverselydisposed angular bottle supporting elements, the upstanding walls ofwhich cooperate to provide a plurality of bottle guides, and each havingin their bottom wall a keeper opening, an electro-magneticallycontrolled latch for entering said keeper opening, a bottle actuatedcircuit closer located at the side of the platform opposite the feedconveyer and in line therewith, said circuit closer adapted toclose anelectric circuit to the electroanagnetically controlled latch towithdraw the same from the keeper opening in the bottle supportingmember of the platform to permit the latter to move.

18. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an assemblingplatform, a drive shaft for the feed conveyer, a counter shaft formoving the assembling platform, a friction clutch between the driveshaft and the counter shaft, a bottle actuated latch device forpermitting the movement of the plat- 105 form by the drive shaft throughsaid clutch at predetermined intervals, a bottle collecting frame, abottle lifting and depositing mechanism including a crank shaft, and aclutch device controlled by bottles in the 110 frame for connecting thesaid crank shaft with the drive shaft.

19. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an endless assemblingplatform arranged at right-angles to the feed 'con- 115 veyer, a bottlecollecting frame arranged above the platform, a crate support located atone side of the latter, a continuously rotating drive shaft foroperating the feed conveyer, a counter shaft'for driving the 120 endlessassembling platform, a friction clutch between said shafts, anelectrically controlled latch for engaging the assembling platform torestrain its movement by the drive shaft at predetermined intervals, 125means including a shaft for lifting and depositing bottles from thecollecting frame into a crate positioned upon the crate support, aclutch member slidably keyed on said latter shaft, and a rotatableclutch member 130 also on said shaft and operatively connected with thedrive shaft.

20. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyor, an assemblingplatform, a drive shaft for the feed conveyer, a counter shaft havingmeans for moving the assembling platform, a, friction clutch between thedrive shaft and the counter shaft, a bottle actuated latch device forpermitting the movement of the platform by the drive shaft through thesaid clutch at predetermined intervals, a bottle collecting frame, abottle lifting and depositing mechanism including a crank shaft, and aclutch device controlled by the bottles in the frame for connecting thesaid crank shaft with the drive shaft, said bottle lifting anddepositing mechanism also including a slidable bottlc engaging device,and means for lifting the latter.

21. A crating apparatus including a feed conveyer, an assemblingplatform, a drive shaft for the feed conveyer, a counter shaft havingmeans for moving the assembling platform, a friction clutch between thedrive shaft and the counter shaft, a bottle actuated latch device forpermitting the movement of the platform by the drive shaft through thesaid clutch at predetermined intervals, a bottle lifting and depositingmechanism including a crank shaft having cams thereon, a clutch devicecontrolled by the bottles collecting in the frame to connect said crankshaft to the drive shaft, a slidable bottle engaging device consistingof parallel channel members having a plurality of depending bottleengaging feet and connected With the crank shaft, and means for liftingthe slidable bottle engaging device including a plurality of angularlifting levers having one end engaged in said channel members, and barsconnected with the other ends thereof, said bars having means forengaging the cams on the crank shaft.

22. A crating apparatus including a frame, a feed conveyer, a driveshaft for the feed conveyer, an endless assembling platform, a countershaft having means for moving the assembling platform, a bottlecollecting frame positioned above the assembling platform, a cratesupport at one side of the platform adapted to receive a crate, andmeans for lifting the bottles collected in said frame above the same anddepositing them into .a crate on the crate support, said means includinga crank shaft, a clutch member loose thereon and connected with thedrive shaft, a clutch device keyed to the crank shaft, means carried bythe bottle collecting frame and operated by the bottles collectingtherein to operate the clutch member that is operatively connected withthe drive shaft, and a bottle engaging and lifting device carried by theframe and actuated by the crank shaft.

23. A crating apparatus including a frame, a feed conveyer, a driveshaft for the feed couveyer, an endless assembling platform, a countershaft having means for moving the assembling platform, a bottlecollecting frame positioned above the assembling platform, a cratesupport at one side of the platform adapted to receive a crate, andmeans for lifting the bottles col lected in said frame above the sameand depositing them into a crate on the crate support, said meansincluding a crank shaft, a clutch member loose thereon and connectedwith the drive shaft, a clutch device keyed to the crank shaft, meanscarried by the bottle collecting frame and operated by the bottlescollecting therein to operate the clutch member keyed to the crank shaftto connect the same With the clutch member that is operatively connectedWith the drive shaft, cams carried by the crank shaft, bell cranklifting levers pivoted at their angle to the frame, rollers carried atone end of said bell crank levers, bars connecting the upper ends ofsaid levers, an abutment rigidly carried by said bars and engaging thecams on the crank shaft, a bottle engaging frame consisting of oppositechannel bars for receiving the rollers carried by the bell crank liftinglevers, and having a plurality of bottle engaging members dependingtherefrom, and links connecting said channel members With the crankportions of the crank shaft.

In testimonyowhereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

LOUIS A. HAWTHORNE.

Witnesses:

WILLARD L. HOAGLAND, EDWARD V. WURTS.

